21
As blood drained from his body, his breathing grew fainter by the second.
Someone rushed to lift him, but his thoughts clung stubbornly to finding Evelyn.
Through the haze, fragments of the past drifted back.
When he’d learned of Addison’s “death,” he’d drowned himself in alcohol, a wreck even his family avoided.
It was Evelyn who stayed.
She’d tended to him through drunken stupors, brewed hangover drinks when he’d passed out, sat vigil through his stomach bleeds, and even shouldered his work at the company, pouring her entire heart into him.
He’d noticed her devotion back then.
But Addison’s loss had blinded him.
Until the night he’d mistaken her for Addison, pinning her down.
Then, he was forced to confront the tangled threads of their relationship.
Had he loved Evelyn, even then?
Later, he’d married her out of duty, slowly emerging from Addison’s shadow.
They’d had children.
He’d thought a quiet life like this was pretty good.
But life was cruel with its twists.
When Addison reappeared, all he’d seen was the ghost of a past he’d mourned.
He’d told himself he’d honor his commitment to Evelyn, yet clung to the lie that Addison was his first and only love.
Then Evelyn left for good without even saying goodbye.
And Reuben finally saw the depth of his folly.
He’d fallen for Evelyn long ago.
All those nights, all those days, the one he loved wasn’t Addison, but the woman who’d stayed, steady and unwavering, by his side.
Yet regret, his stubborn refusal to let go, had cost him everything.
Reuben closed his eyes, tears of agony slipping free.
He thought, “If I’d chosen Evelyn, unwaveringly, from the start…
“If I’d woken up to my feelings sooner…
“If I’d believed Evelyn…”
Countless “what–ifs” swirled in his mind, dissolving into the crumpled note in his hand.
“I’m gone. Don’t look for me. I don’t want you anymore.”
“Evelyn!”
Reuben jolted upright, his chest heaving, face ashen, sweat soaking his brow.
He found Evelyn sitting by his bed, like it had all just been a dream.
He couldn’t hold back, pulling her into a desperate embrace.
“Evelyn, you forgive me, don’t you?” he babbled.
“You couldn’t bear to see me suffer, to see me hurt. Evelyn, you still love me. You must. I’ll never let you get hurt again, never…”
He clung to her, rambling, tightening his grip as if she might vanish.
If the past was just a dream…
If he could wake to find nothing broken, the one he loved still here…
But no matter how fiercely he clung, the figure in his arms dissolved, bit by bit.
3.2%
< 21
It really had been just a dream, fleeting and cruel.
Reuben’s eyes fluttered open, his body shaking, tears streaming unchecked.
Simeon stepped forward as he woke up.
“Mr. Gregson, we’ve located Mrs. Gregson.”
Reuben’s eyes sparked to life.“Where’s she?”
“She’s abroad. We’ve made contact. Mrs. Gregson said she’s willing to meet you.”
Those few words brought Reuben hope.
Evelyn was willing to see him.
It meant there was still a chance between them.
Overwhelmed, Reuben bought the ticket for the next flight.
Simeon caught his arm, hesitating.
Sir, your wound hasn’t healed. Perhaps rest for a few days? If Mrs. Gregson agreed to meet, she won’t back out.”
Reuben pulled free.
“I can’t wait another second. Since Evelyn left, I’ve thought of nothing but her. I need to see her now.”
His eyes and brows softened, which left Simeon perplexed.
“If you had known it would come to this… why did you ever…”
But Reuben didn’t hear the muttered words.
His mind was consumed by Evelyn. Just the thought of seeing her soon sent a thrill through him.
Even on the plane, he couldn’t settle.
He thought, “Has she fared well abroad? Lost weight? Does she have enough funds? A foreign land must have felt so alien to her.
At the thought of her, his heart melted, her face filling his mind.
